Americans Spending More Than Ever Online

Total U.S. online spending hit $95 billion in the first half of the year, on track to surpass last year's record-high $170.8 billion, comScore reported this week.

After a slow start, second-quarter online spending surged by 19 percent over the same period last year to $47.5 billion, about evenly split between retail and travel websites, the report said.

The gains were driven by sales of video games, consoles, and accessories, which jumped by 159 percent over last year. Other top-performing categories included sports and fitness, consumer electronics, and event tickets.

"In the past, we've seen growth rates accelerate as the year progresses, culminating with the online holiday shopping season," comScore Chairman Gian Fulgoni said in a statement.